Major Shaw layoffs in the near future?

[CliffFletcher]

Originally Posted by dino7c

IDK about that most people I know get movies/tv for free

If that ever becomes the norm, then the movies and TV won't get made anymore. No paying customers, no product.

[kermitology]

Originally Posted by Northendzone

difficult position to be in for lots of employees who might like to get out with a bag of cash, but finding something new might be a real challenge

I'm already trying to get my company to jump on this as an opportunity to find some new people hoping that some of the folks I know take the chance on the package and find a good place to work. I used to work for Shaw and have no love for that organization.

[worth]

This impacts me directly. Most of what has been said here is factually correct. That is all the detail I will go into. If you have specific questions you can PM me.

[Locke]

Originally Posted by worth

This impacts me directly. Most of what has been said here is factually correct. That is all the detail I will go into. If you have specific questions you can PM me.

Likewise if you have tax questions.

[iggy_oi]

Which employees are they offering severance to?

[White Out 403]

Not sure if worth is going to comment but it appears VSP's are being offered to non front line or customer facing staff. So likely a tonne of business analysts/managers and management types.

[iggy_oi]

Originally Posted by Resurrection

Not sure if worth is going to comment but it appears VSP's are being offered to non front line or customer facing staff. So likely a tonne of business analysts/managers and management types.

Interesting that they are hiring while offering these severances.

http://shaw.njoyn.com/CGI/xweb/XWeb....age=joblisting

[nfotiu]

Originally Posted by CliffFletcher

Yeah, I think the golden age of cheap streaming is already past. Going forward you'll need 4 or 5 providers at $10 to $20 a month each for the content, and the price of broadband will go up and up as more people stream and stream much more data-heavy 4K and HDR content.

It'll be a lot more convenient than cable, but it won't be any cheaper once it's all said and done.

4 or 5 providers at 10-20$ seems excessive for most people. But still, it is far cheaper than cable tv plus 4 $10 stb rentals, plus $10 dvr service, plus $10 for HD, plus $5 broadcast tv fee, plus $8 rsn fee, plus $3 line recovery investment fee plus a lot of people are already paying for a streaming service or 2 on top of cable. I cut the cord and have about 3-4 streaming services and am saving about $80 per month. I don't see any need for any new streaming services on the horizon.

[worth]

Sorry, not going to comment on any specifics.

[CliffFletcher]

Originally Posted by nfotiu

4 or 5 providers at 10-20$ seems excessive for most people. But still, it is far cheaper than cable tv plus 4 $10 stb rentals, plus $10 dvr service, plus $10 for HD, plus $5 broadcast tv fee, plus $8 rsn fee, plus $3 line recovery investment fee plus a lot of people are already paying for a streaming service or 2 on top of cable. I cut the cord and have about 3-4 streaming services and am saving about $80 per month. I don't see any need for any new streaming services on the horizon.

I cut the cord and I'm definitely saving money today. But the current streaming model won't last much longer. Content creators are all starting their own services. Netflix is cutting its catalog by thousands of items a month, and has half the content it did several years ago. The reason it's going full-bore on creating its own content is in anticipation of a future when all it will have is its own content, and where viewers will have to pay a subscription to Disney for Disney content, CBS for CBS content, Amazon for Amazon content, etc.

[iggy_oi]

Originally Posted by Locke

Likewise if you have tax questions.

Likewise if anyone has job protection questions

[Regulator75]

Originally Posted by 81MC

...that's quite the package.

That's what she said...

[FlameOn]

Can also confirm the VSP information is accurate as I will be impacted. Will not go into details as well.

[FlameOn]

Press release live

CALGARY, January 30, 2018 - Shaw Communications Inc. today announced an enterprise-wide initiative designed to reinvent its operating model to better meet the changing tastes and expectations of consumers and businesses.

"Customers want their services from Shaw to be just like everything else in their life - delivered quickly, reliably, and on their terms," said Jay Mehr, President, Shaw Communications. "But as good as our customer service and operations are today, we see that we have to make some significant changes to serve customers the way they expect to be served in 2018 and beyond."

The multi-year initiative is designed to make Shaw a company that can execute quicker, function more efficiently, and connect Canadians to the world around them better than ever before. This program will seek to refocus Shaw's operations towards providing service more easily through highly capable online and smartphone apps and more self-installed services.

"Our agents in contact centres and our technicians will still be able to deal with more complex questions and situations, but we are committed to listening better to our customers and changing our operating model to better suit their preferences for service when they want and how they want it," Mr. Mehr said.

The changes will result in a review and reimagining of every aspect of Shaw's operations and roles, and fewer internal processes. "We know our future success will require us to become a leaner, more integrated, and more agile workforce, which will result in many internal changes taking place as we move towards becoming a digital-by-default organization," Mr. Mehr said.

Work has already begun to support the internal changes, and details will be disclosed as progress is made.

VOLUNTARY DEPARTURE PROGRAM

As a first step in its change initiative, Shaw is implementing a Voluntary Departure Program from January 31 to February 14, 2018, to give selected employees the opportunity to think critically about their future with the company, and make realistic decisions about their role in Shaw's evolution

"We know that the success we have achieved has been built on the tremendous people who have made Shaw what it is today," Mr. Mehr said. "That's why we are being fully transparent with every member of our team as to what lies ahead, and offering them the most generous and unprecedented measures to help them decide how best to respond to the changes we are all dealing with."

Under the Voluntary Departure Program, approximately 6,500 Shaw and Freedom Mobile employees have been offered a generous voluntary departure package, with approximately ten per cent expected to accept the package. Details of the Voluntary Departure Package are not being disclosed.

"This is a program that is intended to reduce our workforce while not penalizing employees for our operational transformation. As we reinvent our customer delivery model to be more digital, online, or e-care, we're very pleased to offer generous packages to our team members throughout the organization who have built this company," Mr. Mehr said.

http://newsroom.shaw.ca/materialDeta...lID=6442452086

[kermitology]

Originally Posted by Resurrection

Not sure if worth is going to comment but it appears VSP's are being offered to non front line or customer facing staff. So likely a tonne of business analysts/managers and management types.

Engineering, development, IT, everyone not a CSR/TSR. Both of my contacts are in engineering, and one in HR.

[Otto-matic]

Originally Posted by FlameOn

Shaw is implementing a Voluntary Departure Program from January 31 to February 14, 2018, to give selected employees the opportunity to think critically about their future with the company, and make realistic decisions about their role in Shaw's evolution

This statement bugs me. Its almost like they are saying you've been selected to either take the package or be let go down the road with nothing but you're going to be terminated regardless.

[ah123]

According to posts on beyond.ca, 6500 employees were offered the VSP

[taco.vidal]

Originally Posted by ah123

According to posts on beyond.ca, 6500 employees were offered the VSP

Its according to Shaw’s own news release on the matter.

[White Out 403]

Originally Posted by Otto-matic

This statement bugs me. Its almost like they are saying you've been selected to either take the package or be let go down the road with nothing but you're going to be terminated regardless.

It's garbage. I was talking about this with a manager friend of mine yesterday and the anxiety this must be causing all shaw employees is outrageous. I'm sure they're going to get great quality work until this is dealt with.

Crap company is crap.

[Locke]

Originally Posted by Otto-matic

This statement bugs me. Its almost like they are saying you've been selected to either take the package or be let go down the road with nothing but you're going to be terminated regardless.

Yeah, but it makes a ton of sense.

"You will be let go. Right now we're offering you money and terms. Maybe not so much later. So you can go on your own terms with money, or ours."

If I knew the axe was coming down and I was given the option to take money to leave right away I think I'd do it rather than try clinging to my job by my fingernails.

Unemployment is absolutely rough, but uncertain employment under a dark cloud must be hell.